the Derbyshire Dales

The Derbyshire Dales' population increased by about 1,600 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 71,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of the Derbyshire Dales increased by 2.4%, from just under 69,500 to 71,100.

The addition of just over 1,600 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, the Derbyshire Dales was home to, on average, 0.64 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the East Midlands' third-least densely-populated district.

Population density was lower than the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older the Derbyshire Dales

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of the Derbyshire Dales increased by four years, from 43 to 47 years.

This area had the second-highest average age in the East Midlands and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 3,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 15.0% of people in the Derbyshire Dales are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and the Derbyshire Dales by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in the Derbyshire Dales

In 2011, 98.6% of the Derbyshire Dales residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 99.1% in 2001.

Across the East Midlands, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 93.2% to 88.9%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 0.7% of people in the Derbyshire Dales said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.4% in 2001. About 0.6% said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 0.3% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.1% to 0.1%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in the Derbyshire Dales remained close to 98.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and the Derbyshire Dales by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in the Derbyshire Dales

The percentage of the Derbyshire Dales residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 9.0% to 9.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 2.8%, while the percentage of the Derbyshire Dales residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 88.3% to 87.3%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 7.3% in 2001 to 6.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Private renting increased in the Derbyshire Dales, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the East Midlands, except Rutland and Rushcliffe.

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of privately rented homes, as the regional average grew from 8.5% to 14.9%.

Private renting in the Derbyshire Dales increased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in the Derbyshire Dales, the East Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The proportion of married people fell in the Derbyshire Dales, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the East Midlands, except Lincoln and South Holland.

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 53.4% to 48.5%.

During this period, the Derbyshire Dales overtook five local authority areas, including Melton and South Holland, to become the East Midlands local authority area with the third-highest percentage of married people.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in the Derbyshire Dales

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in the Derbyshire Dales was among those who said they had no religion, rising 10.3 points.

In 2011, 23.2% of respondents in the Derbyshire Dales gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 12.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the East Midlands, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 15.6% to 27.2%, while across England the percentage went from 14.5% to 24.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in the Derbyshire Dales, 68.7% said they were Christian, compared with 79.4% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion increased from 7.0% to 7.2%.

In the Derbyshire Dales, 7.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.0% in 2001. In East Midlands, 6.8% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in the Derbyshire Dales increased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East Midlands and the Derbyshire Dales by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in the Derbyshire Dales working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 18.6% to 14.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.2%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 13.5% in 2001 to 10.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in the Derbyshire Dales decreased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in the Derbyshire Dales, the East Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of the Derbyshire Dales residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.2% to 4.5% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81.8%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69.1% in 2001. The percentage of the Derbyshire Dales residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.7% to 13.7%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.4% in 2001 to 5.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in the Derbyshire Dales decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in the Derbyshire Dales, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households without children increased in the Derbyshire Dales at a faster rate than across England.

In the Derbyshire Dales, the proportion of households without children increased from 63.1% in 2001 to 65.7% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 61.1% to 61.2%.

Across the East Midlands, the share of households without children increased from 61.3% to 62.1%.

The proportion of households with children in the Derbyshire Dales fell from 26.9% to 24.9%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 10.0% to 9.4%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in the Derbyshire Dales, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.2% to 8.9% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.0%) households had only one person, compared with 27.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in the Derbyshire Dales which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 42.8% to 38.7%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 8.7% in 2001 to 10.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of the Derbyshire Dales residents that were studying increased from 1.8% to 2.2% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 51.2%, while the percentage of the Derbyshire Dales residents that were unemployed increased from 2.1% to 2.7%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were in education across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of the Derbyshire Dales residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.0% to 1.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in the Derbyshire Dales remained close to 1.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and the Derbyshire Dales by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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